Properties of BC x N y films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition from N-trimethylborazine-nitrogen mixtures

Boron carbonitride films of various compositions have been grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using N-trimethylborazine as a single-source precursor and nitrogen as a plasma gas and an additional nitrogen source. Experiments were performed at various deposition temperatures and rf powers. The films were characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, IR and Raman spectroscopies, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and spectrophotometry. The results demonstrate that, under the conditions of this study, the growth kinetics and physicochemical properties of boron carbonitride layers are influenced by both the substrate temperature and rf power. Conditions are found for producing boron carbonitride films transparent in the UV through visible spectral region.